Epilogue
by lescribble
Summary: Both had three secrets: 1 a dark/sad past, 2 alienation from parents, 3 identity as Kuon/Bo. For the love idiots, this is how it ends. This is how everything falls into place.


_**A/N: Because I can't wait until Ren and Kyouko become canon. This is nothing more than a lowly figment of my imagination, for sure, Nakamura-sensei will totally think of something that will blow our minds off. Still, a peasant, such as yours truly, can only dream... **_

_**A/N2: Italics = Letter // Normal = Narration **_

_**

* * *

**_

The actor absentmindedly tapped his pen on the blank paper before him. This was all her fault really... why he was so stressed at a time like this. He closed his eyes slightly as he released a heavy sigh of exasperation. Perhaps he'll jot down a few things, just so she'll be satisfied and wouldn't bug him further. Slowly, he gripped his pen tighter...

_Father,_

_How long has it been since we last talked? It seems almost ages ago when I last saw you in Japan. How is mother? --_

He lifts the pen from the parchment, carefully surveying what he has written thus far. For all his suave and composed self, he was really at a loss when it came to letters for his family. Words were never a scarcity, however, there were so many thoughts and questions that plagued his mind. What to write... How to organize... Where to begin... He huffed.

_As I write this letter, I am headed for Kyoto. We had memories there as a family, do you remember?_

Feeling a sudden surge of anxiety, he pursed his lips in anticipation as he looked at his passing surroundings, to calm himself down. The branches of trees swayed with the mild breeze that went their way. He was inside a private limousine; he couldn't exactly feel the gush of the summer air but he knew, it must feel nice to be enveloped in such a warmth. He looked back at his unfinished note and proceeded in scribbling more English words in an elegant script.

_I'm not sure if you conveyed the story of Mogami-san to mother, how you made her act out my former self, but I'm sure you do recall her, deliberately calling her 'son' before leaving._

_I think you'd be very proud of her. She has grown into a most splendid actress, beloved and celebrated in all of Japan --_

Ren looks at his side, where a raven haired woman softly purrs in her sleep. He smiles at the look of complete contentment on her face. He reaches out, gently curling the stray lock of hair behind her ear, he was careful enough not to wake her.

_-- and she grows lovelier with each day, making me fall for her over and over again. Father, did you know? I first met her in Kyoto._

He closes his eyes to the memory of when he told her so. He remembers the crack of her palm on his face, her tears that were left unshed as she screamed and lashed at him that he played her a fool... It was the first time they kissed too. He'll forever be haunted by the intermingling experience of their first kiss, and his first brutal slap, off camera at least. No more secrets, he promised her ardently that day.

_You must have heard that scandal about her mother. She came to her daughter when she was at her peak in show business, deliberately challenging her to fall from her soaring achievements. _

_But you should know by now, more than being talented, Kyouko-chan is an amazingly spirited and brave woman. She roused to this challenge... albeit difficult..._

He paused. He was struggling to find the right words to describe the scenario, it was not his story to tell after all. He painfully recalls Kyouko's huddled form on his doorstep. It appears that she walked blankly to his apartment amidst the raging storm and the roaring thunder. And in her broken state, she unintentionally divulged everything to him, how her mother blamed her for being abandoned by her father. And how in her mother's twisted love, she poisoned her only daughter into thinking that she had to be the best, otherwise, she would not be loved and would be left to to die in loneliness. He shuddered in memory of her pitiful form. He wanted to heal her, for the depth of her pain was indeed deep. And when he found that his sweet murmurs when in vain, he simply held her throughout the night, being her strong pillar when her resolve had been completely shattered. Deciding not to write anything of it anymore, he proceeded and settled with...

_...she was eventually able to patch things up in the end. I think she and her mother are in the process reconnecting. _

_I find it remarkable, how she heals the hearts of many simply because she understands what their pain truly is. _

_Kyouko-chan has learned what forgiveness is, and more importantly, what "forgiving thyself" means. _

He peers once more at her sleeping form, and quickly adds...

_I should know, she taught me this too._

"Tsuruga-san," the driver lightly said breaking him from his reverie. Ren raised his head to acknowledge the call. "We're almost there," he informed. Ren gently holds the hand of the one in peaceful slumber, drawing small circles with his thumb as he massaged her. "Kyouko," he begins but she doesn't stir. "Kyouko," he whispers again, this time placing a light kiss on her eyes. She crinkles her eyes in irritation and then immediately buries her head in the creak of Ren's neck, falling into an even more comfortable position for sleeping. He chuckles good-naturedly. "Chicken head. We'll be arriving soon," he whispers. Her eyes snapped wide awake. He was deliberately taunting her as Bo. She sat upright as she slowly combed her hair in place. "You still get a kick out of that." she remarked wryly.

She still remembers telling him about it on their first date. "T-Tsuruga-san," she begins nervously, "I-I just want to be the first to tell you..." Ren looks at her, after unfolding a napkin neatly onto his lap. "About what?" giving her a gentle smile. "B-Because I don't want Tsuruga-san to think I'm a liar!" At this, Ren leaned his chin on his hand. He didn't say anything, only giving her a look that said _Go on, I'm listening. _"I'm... I'm the chicken head!" she says, a bit too loudly too, because the neighboring tables looked at them curiously. She was unmindful of the stares though, her nervousness occupied her mind completely. Then, she proceeded with explaining that she was Bo, rushing an incoherent apology for not telling him earlier, saying he only wanted to help him, she meant no disrespect... etc.. etc.. Ren could only blink in response at her rapid machine-gun mouth, before breaking into a fit of laughter. At this rare sight, Kyouko could only smile apologetically. It was like music to her ears... listening to his genuine and heartfelt laugh. It was nice, to say the least, seeing Ren this way. And then of course, she felt like a complete ass because she once again offered herself willingly for his amusement.

"Oh!" She suddenly remembers where they were. "Are you done with your letter?" She sees him stiffen in his seat. Eyeing the parchment on his hand, she quickly grabs it and breezes through. He wrote it in English too. Thank god she had practice in high school and college. If President Lory hadn't been so gracious... "Sempai," she says in a slow, irritated voice. He sweated a little. After their fifth date, she only used _that word_ and _that tone _when she was disappointed in him. "You've barely written anything about yourself!" He gulped, there was really no escaping her critical eye. "Oh. Really?" was the only coherent response he could make. She shoves the paper in his chest. "Good thing it's not yet done, right?" Kyouko smiles brightly at him. "Do it now," she adds more fiercely.

For a moment, he wondered what he could possibly say about himself. And then he presses his pen onto the paper once more.

_If you recall, there was one instance in which I hesitated to play the role of a character-- that of a cold-blooded murderer. _

_I was afraid that my identity would be revealed and that my old personality, which I took pains hiding, would overcome me completely._

_But like I said on the video, if this was a challenge from the heavens, then I'd have to take it on, no matter what._

_I realized, I never told you the result of that._

Smiling, he wrote down four words that seemed to sum up all those crazy write ups, live interviews, and guest invites that the media enthusiastically feasted on.

_I won an award._

"Ikeda-san, please turn left here," directs Kyouko's gentle voice.

_By my own strength, and the faith that others placed in me... I was able to overcome this obstacle. _

_But Kyouko believes that it was because of her cooking._

_Which reminds me, I eat better now, well, she insists. And we fight if I don't obey._

_Actually, I think I've gained weight._

Huh? His mind screamed. What was that last bit? Weight gain? He shook his head.

_So, I was thinking of getting a dog, you know, to share the food._

Wait. What is happening here? Why was he writing down pointless tidbits? He paused, running his hand through his hair. How uncool. But he knew why he was suddenly nervous. He felt the truth, the real purpose of the letter, edging closer and closer at the tip of his pen.

_What I really wanted to say was..._

He began. He looked unsure, but really, he already knew what he was going to write, the moment she forced him to grab a pen and paper. He carefully wrote down...

_I'm doing just fine. _

And then he smiles, despite himself, for he knows how simple and yet true, those words are. He sees the sunlight peaking through the window of his car as the vehicle comes to an immediate halt. He philosophically contemplated on how funny it was that he never thought to compare the warmth of the sun with the brightness of the spotlight. Then, both he and she stepped out of the limousine, basking in the freshness of the air after a long journey. They both read the single sign on the gate of the mansion. "Fuwa." Long ago, that word would invoke hatred, revenge, grudge and all things unpleasant within her. It also affected him in the same way, his jealousy rivaling all of her hatred combined. But this time, "Shoutaro," she says clearly, it seems as if she has finally gotten over the anguish. Looking up, he realized that she didn't just say that name out of the blue. Leaning on the porch of his home, looking absolutely regal with his blonde hair and lean body, the musician stopped playing with his guitar, as he looked in surprise at the unexpected guests. "He's here." Ren comments as the other man casually treads toward them.

With his hands in his pockets, Sho Fuwa paused at a good distance, eyes still focused on the couple. The mild shock was still on his handsome face, but he could guess why they were here. He waited, if there was one to speak first, it would not be him. He looked at Kyouko. "I came to talk to your parents," came her soft but sure voice. It was only for a moment, but Ren could swear that he saw the other man give her the briefest glance of longing, before jerking his head at the direction of the entrance. "They're inside," he says a bit too gruffly. Smiling at Ren assuredly, she slowly walks toward the house.

Sho watched her pass by him and continued to stare at her retreating back. When he could not see her anymore, he released a heavy sigh, somewhat akin to pain. He wasn't even aware that he was holding his breath, or that the other man already approached him. He remembers that word she said not very long ago. She says he wasn't just her friend. She clarifies, that with the deep bond they once shared, Sho was more like a "brother." For some unexplainable reason, he felt the omnipotence of impossibility between them as hope suddenly shattered into thousands of pieces. "Friends" and even "Enemies" could turn to "Lovers". Brothers never could.

"She will make you happy," he dryly comments, as he noticed Ren for the first time. He himself was still staring at the closed door... the lost opportunity. "Believe me, she already does," Ren cooly replies as he walks past him. Sho could only look up at the bright blue sky. Once upon a time, she was his and her whole world had been him. This house was their stage, where his parents set them up as future husband and wife. Never did he realize, that when he ran away and dragged her along, he would later come back here, and she, with the sole purpose of severing their ties.

The cost of his selfish dream and his stupid pride had been too high.

Kyouko later reemerges from the house, with tears of joy in her eyes. Sho's parents had followed her wake. They have given her their leave. The mother had been especially regretful at losing the wonderful girl she raised as a future daughter-in-law. And of course, she had been slightly optimistic that perhaps, she and Sho would have another chance. After all, you can never tell what happens. And so she believed this, that is, before she met the man called Tsuruga... before she saw him give Kyouko a deep, loving gaze... and before she saw her return it with equal intensity.

She could only smile in genuine understanding. "Take care," she finally says, pulling the girl into a tight hug. "Kyouko-chan is still welcome to visit anytime," the father said. "With her friends, of course." he adds, looking at Ren with a smile. "Well then, we'll be on our way," she says pleasantly. Turning slightly to look at her childhood friend, "See you in Tokyo, Shoutaro." "And good luck with that song." Ren adds. In response, Sho waves off his hand arrogantly, "Yeah, whatever." And just like that, the couple turned to leave.

The driver sat up straight as he saw his famous passengers approach the vehicle. He was about to start the engine when he looked dubiously at the side mirror. He saw Tsuruga-san, remove from the back compartment what appeared to be a shovel. "What the hell--" he muttered. Perhaps this was an acting exercise, he mused. Actors do the craziest things sometimes. "We'll be back soon, Ikeda-san!" Mogami-san called out. And then, he was left alone to care for the car again, as the couple trudged off to who knows where. Really. He didn't understand why he couldn't just drive them to wherever they were headed.

In truth, this road trip started as a casual invitation from her "Hey, Kyoto this weekend?" she said. But you see, it was more like an unspoken agreement, as they found themselves in silent introspection, walking through the forest they knew so well as kids. Neither one of them mentioned their destination. Yet it wasn't strange at all, that their feet had brought them to where they were standing now, the place where they first met. He watched her mull over the surroundings, looking for a perfect place. Eventually, she walked daintily towards one spot, smiled at him and motioned him to come.

With a strong thrust, he dug a huge part of the land, leaving a small gap open. He did it a few more times until he was satisfied with the depth. From her pocket, she pulled out a single violet stone that both of them knew so well. They stared at it for a moment before smiling into each other's eyes. Taking his hand in hers, he clasped his left hand tightly on her right, holding the precious crystal in place. "Now?" she asks. He smiles. They slightly parted their hands, the gap at the bottom caused the crystal to fall with a thud on the ground. It was time to let go. Silently, Ren covered the crystal slowly with land, blurring it into oblivion, hiding it into nothingness. Perhaps it's the last time they would ever see that stone again -- the one that bore all their grudges, their hurts, their darkest fears... But it doesn't mean that they'd forget. They just didn't need it anymore.

He found someone else to grasp on, in times where he felt lonely...

She found someone else to whisper to when she felt like crying...

Someone who cared...

Perhaps, that was all that really mattered.

Breathing a sigh of relief she slowly approaches the creek. That Beagle bastard had been good for something after all, subtly advising them (in his demonic way) to let go of the stone. She wondered how he would be the next time she met him. He did say "Fine, I know when I see a lost chase," whatever that meant. Friend or foe? Of course, either way he was twisted, but she didn't need a stone charm anymore. Ren would be there. She smiled widely.

She was 24 years old now and he 28. Everything about this place seemed like a distant memory and all of the things happening to her seemed like a surreal dream. Funny enough, it doesn't feel like the end. If at all, it was just the beginning. She sees Ren sitting on the place where he used to sit as "Corn." He was still writing the letter.

_Anyway father, we're both going back to Kyoto, because there is one more thing we needed to mend before we can push forward._

He was talking about the stone, not Fuwa. Fuwa's case had been resolved back in Tokyo, starting with his passionate declaration of love for her on national television. Needless to say, it brought the three of them into a whirlwind of events, not counting the tabloids which feasted on their very lives. Anyway, the visit earlier, was nothing more than a side trip. He had been extremely civil too. For although he detested the brat, he respected the two elders who took Kyouko in as their own child.

"Sho Fuwa" he heard her she say slowly, rolling the name in her tongue. He looks around questioningly wondering if the other man followed them here. When he saw no one, he turns to her. She smiled, looking at him almost daringly. He could see the challenge in her eyes. He narrowed his in return. That _boy,_ he mused, had finally matured into what you'd call a man. He went through great lengths just to prove his love for Kyouko and when he found him kneeling in front of Kyouko's house at one time, throwing all his ego aside, apologizing profusely for the pain he caused her, he realized just how sincere and sure of his affection that musician was. Of course, it would take a long time before he moved his mouth to say those two words. "Maybe we should dig out the crystal before we call it a day..." she says. He still hesitated, but then, he realized, as he gazed into her bright eyes and pleased smile, into her soft body that seemed aglow with sunlight... The truth was actually very plain to see.

She didn't go with Fuwa.

She was there with him.

She _chose_ him.

And it was so simple that he thought himself an idiot for thinking otherwise. Jealousy would be inevitable, he surmised, but because his faith on her was stronger, because he had the confidence that she would not leave him, and because he trusted her completely...

"Sho Fuwa," he says finally, breaking his face into a small smile. He plunges himself headfirst into this thing called love. She smiles yet again. She knew very well how he faked being friendly with Sho. So she decided to give him this one last test, just to help him. Jealousy, when left to grow, causes nothing but a giant rift between couples. Trust, heals that rift. "There, that wasn't so bad." She settles a small kiss on his lips as a reward for his ordeal. Turning around, she left him at peace to continue his writing.

_Father, just between the two of us, I feel that fending off her admirers is a more difficult challenge than any role on screen. _

He watched her play in the creek like a toddler, an angel, illuminated in the sunlight. It was just like years ago. And she was breathtaking, in every sense of the word. For the first time, since he scoffed at the ridiculous idea of marriage, he realized that he wanted to start a family.

_So let me be the first to tell you now._

_I intend to have her fully._

_Be prepared to lose your second son._

_Daughter-in-law, would be a more appropriate title for her after all, if I succeed._

_I miss you both. And I cannot wait to see you again._

_Your son,_

_Hizuri Kuon_

_~o~_

Months later, a loud knocking could be heard on the door of the Hizuri residence.

Bewildered, Kuu edges towards the entrance, wondering who got passed security without even being informed.

He peers through the eyepiece and then excitedly calls to his wife.

Opening the door widely, he warmly welcomes his two children who are finally home.

"Father," they both say at the same time.

Kuu smiles and his eyes distinctly move at the shining band around Kyouko's finger.

"Well then, I can't wait for my cute grandchildren."

* * *

**A/N3: Gaah! Please critique. Help improve the lowly writer.**


End file.
